Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-03
OUTRAGES IN TEXAS.
Text Of the Resolution Introduced and
Passed by the Senate Regarding AL.
legged 0utrages in Texas.
Speeches OF Senators Coke, Salisbury and
Eustis Opposing, and of Hoar Favor
ing, the Resolution,

was finally passed by vote OF thirty-one
to twenty-six after giving rise to sharp
and protracted debate.
Whereas, Stephen A. Hackworth, ma
tive citizen of the United States and OF
the state Of Texas; James l.. Moore, 8
native of Alabama and now for twenty
years a citizen of Texas; and Carl
Schutze, a native of Germany, for thirty
years q resident of the United States, and
now naturaliZed citizen thereof, have
presented their petition TO the Senate,
wherein they allege that they have been
driven from their homes in Washington
County, Texas and compelled to abandon
their property at great sacrifice, and that
armed ard lawless bands of ruffainS have
taken possession of and destroyed the
ballOt-boxes IN said county at 9 late cleo
ton therein for county officers ana mem
bers Of Congress, and have murdered
three citizens of said county, and over
thrown republican government therein,
and committed other outrageS and crimes,
all of which have been done in order that
the majority of the voters therein may be
deprived of their lawful and constitutional
rights of suffrage, and that the minority
may unlawtully usurp and exercise con-
troll in said county, and that the cOnsti-
tuted authorities of said county and state
refused ali remedy for said outrages and
crimes;
Be it resolved, that the committee on
privileges and elections e,and is hereby,
instructed to inquire into all the circum-
stances OF, and connected with, the said
alleged events, and that it report as soon
as may be; and that said committee have
power to send for persons and papers, to
employ stenographer, and to act by any
subcommittee, and that any such sub
committee shall for the purposes of such
investigation be committee of the Senate
to ali intents and purposes.
Senator Coke was the first to speak and
opposed the resolution on the ground
that it was unconstitutional. The Sena-
tor said:
Mr.. President, l am not averse, nor are
the people of Texas, TO an Investigation
of any charge that may properly be made
against the state, involved in a subject
over which Congress has Jurisdiction;
out desire to protest against this inveS-
tigation upon 8 charge preferred as this
has been, and over subjects not within the
jurisdiction of Congress.
The state of Texas has the autonomy
of state. 1t has constitution, and laws,
and government, in full force and opera
ton. 1t can redress all grievances, per-
sonal or otherwise, occurring within its
borders. The subject is one peculiarly
within the jurisdiction CT the state, and
this resolution Of investigation is an inter
meddling with something belonging
solely to the state and outside OF the
uriS Of tho
The memorial, it Will be seen, was
draughted evidently by a lawyer, and
aims to present the subject in way to
confer jurisdiction upon the Congress of
the United States; but when sifted down
to the real charges made they are personal
grievances of the memorialists. They
are infractions of the laws of the state of
Texas to which the guilty persons, if they
be guilty, are responsible.
deny the jurisdiction of Congress to
investigate a matter thus solely within
the jurisdiction of the state of Texas.
What will be done? How will the
grievances of these men be remedied?
They say they have been compelled to leave
their homes. They say they had to sacri
flee their property. They say they have
been trespsssed upon. Every act of which
the state of Texas. The parties who have
trespassed upon them are amenable to
those laws. There is no federal jurisdic
ton over these parties for such trespaSses,
and why have an investigation?
This charge is preferred upon the ex
parte statement of one single individual,
Stephen A. Hackwortb, The memorial is
signed by three, Stephen A. Hackworth.
James L. Moore, and Carl Schutze. I
find this note at the foot of the memorial:
BY the written authority and request Of
Messrs. James L. Moore and Carl
Schultz, have signed their names to the
above and foregoing petition, this the 9th
day of January, 1887.
:. A. HACKwoRTH.
So the whole depends upon the single
statement of Mr.. Hackworth.
One single individual makes this charge.
1t has not been made under oath. The
meanest felon in the United States before
ne can be arraIgned is entitled TO an in
by grand jury selected by a
court, and here we have q state arraigned
before the Senate and the country ON the
charge of one man, made eX parte, not
under oath.
The facts which lead to this memorial
and to the statements in the memorial !
are few and brief. On election day in
last a young man by the name
of Bolton, who lives in Brennan, Wash
ingtOn county, Texas, went out to one of
the county preclnts in order to bring in |
the election returns. He was standing |
at the place felection, at the polls, and
while there, without notice, without |
warning, without explanation, with no
word OF alteration or quarrel, was shot |
and killed by negro and some confed-
crates.
Mr. Hoar Has the Senator any infor- |
nation as to how the person who was |
shot was dressed: !
Mr.. Coke. l have not, but the state
ments that l make will be suostantiated.
Mr.. Hoar. The statement which is |
made is that he was Selling the ballot
boxes, was dressed in SLOUGH hat coming
down over his eyes, with long coat ex-
tending from his chin down to his feet,
and white cloth tied over his face, dis
guising him so that 1t was utterly impossi-
Die that his nearest friends should know
him; and he remained in that dress four
hours.
Mr.. Coke. He was shot in the daytime,
in the presence of large number Of wit
nesses, when he was doing nothing in
he world but waiting to get the result of
he election to take back to Brenham.